While parenting doesn’t come with an instruction manual, there are numerous advice books and memoirs to help guide and comfort exhausted parents as they progress from changing diapers to teaching their child how to drive a car (I haven’t reached the car-driving phase yet – thank goodness!). Share some wisdom and hilarious anecdotes on parenting and fatherhood with the fathers you know; these 10 books are perfect for expectant fathers, new dads and veteran fathers.
10 Books For Fathers
- Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Meg Meeker, M.D. -Twenty-years of counseling girls has given her invaluable wisdom on the relationship between fathers and daughters. Dr. Meeker details how critically important a father’s love and guidance are when raising happy, healthy and confident women.
- Dad’s Playbook: Wisdom for Father’s from the Greatest Coaches of All Time by Tom Limbert – A perfect book for sports enthusiasts, Dad’s Playbook is a collection of quotes from some of the most successful coaches of all time. Tom Limbert, parenting expert, applies the words of wisdom from the coaches to the tough sport of parenting and fatherhood.
- Fatherhood by Bill Cosby – While many humorous memoirs on fatherhood have followed Bill Cosby’s 1987 release of Fatherhood is still one of the funniest to grace a bookshelf. His stand-up special, Bill Cosby, Himself (1983), is a classic as well, not to be missed by anyone who’s mired in the trials of parenthood.
- Familyhood by Paul Reiser – Veteran actor, stand-up comedian and author Paul Reiser’s book, Familyhood, follows the success of his previous two books Couplehood (1994) and Babyhood (1998), giving a humorous and honest take on the reality of raising a family.
- The Fatherhood Principle: Priority, Position, and the Role of the Male by Dr. Myles Munroe – Based on the principle that God’s plan for men was to become fathers, Dr. Munroe explains how to fulfill this role with purpose.
- 52 Things Daughters Need from Their Dads: What Fathers Can Do to Build a Lasting Relationship by Jay Payleitner – Helpful advice for men as they navigate their way through parenting a daughter, this book is a great resource for dads.
- Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First Century Parenthood by Drew Magary – Drew Magary is a GQ Coorespondent and Deadspin columnist and he’s also a father. His memoir, filled with painfully funny anecdotes, takes a look not just at parenting, but parenting in modern-day America
- Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share by Ken Denmead – Fun and innovative projects for dads (or moms) to work on with their children in order to foster a better understanding of science and technology and a desire to learn more about how all the technology at our disposal today works.
- Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis – Lewis, the author of Moneyball, did something I sometimes wish I had done when my children were first born, he documented everything and turned it into a book. His honesty, is refreshing because it normalizes what so many parents are feeling and experiencing.
- The Guy’s Guide to Surviving Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the First Years of Fatherhood by Michael Crider – A man’s perspective of the huge life-changing event that is bringing a child into the world. Very humorous and very relatable which is incredibly valuable because parenting can be isolating at times – but there’s no doubt you will find many of Lewis’ anecdotes resonate with your own experiences (or prepare you for what’s to come!).
Check out my other posts on Books for Dads – 20 Books for Father’s Day – a collection of funny children’s books that the kids can read with dad.
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